eNews for Thursday, June 10, 2021
Chasing Donkeys
By Rachel Hackenberg, author of Writing to God. Her blog is Faith and Water
Now the day before Saul came [to the town], the Lord had revealed to Samuel: “Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel.”—1 Samuel 9:15-16 (NRSV)
Saul comes to Samuel’s town in search of donkeys. It’s been an over-the-hills-and-through-the-woods kind of adventure for Saul, chasing his father’s lost donkeys through the hilly lands west of the Jordan River. Completely out of luck, Saul’s servant suggests they pay a local prophet for insight into the lost donkeys’ location.
And so it is that Saul and Samuel cross paths – Saul looking for a man who can tell him about donkeys, Samuel looking for a man God has chosen to be king.
Mismatched expectations like these are frequent gems in comedy… but can be lumps of coal in life. It’s good for a chuckle that Saul believes he has found a donkey diviner in Samuel, while Samuel believes he has found a people diviner in Saul. It’s less funny when friends or lovers or colleagues get the wires of their expectations crossed.
Feelings get hurt.
Egos are pricked.
Hearts cloud with frustration.
Someone’s anxiety over lost donkeys grows.
Someone else has the urge to shout, “Forget the donkeys already—this is bigger than donkeys!”
If our paths happen to cross today and I’m intent on donkeys while you’re intent on crowns (or vice versa); if you are coming and I am going and we miscue one another on our next steps; perhaps instead of rising to defend our own agendas in that moment, we might anoint one another with the holy blessing of new expectations.
Even if it means losing our donkeys.
Prayer
I already know, God, that I’m not going to track every wandering donkey today. I hate to let even one of them go. If different expectations are possible, please interrupt me to let me know.
Reimagining Public Safety
Plymouth Congregational Church of Minneapolis and United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities invite you to a virtual dialogue June 22 at 7 pm on “Reimagining Public Safety: Confronting the Problem of Policing.” Scheduled three days before Derek Chauvin’s sentencing, faith and community leaders will seek to understand the ways Black and African immigrant communities in the Twin Cities can ensure public safety for the most vulnerable amid patterns of police brutality.
Panelists include local leading voices that bring a wealth of experience and expertise to issues of policing, policy, and public safety in these communities:
- Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, lead minister at Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis
- Rev. Nekima Levy Armstrong, JD, civil rights attorney-activist, scholar, and former Minneapolis mayoral candidate
- Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN)
- Moderated by Rev. Dr. Gary F. Green II, assistant professor of pastoral theology and social transformation at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, St. Paul
Rhubarb Festival
CHUM's Rhubarb Festival is happening this year!
Saturday, June 26, 10:00 am-2:00 pm
First United Methodist Church (Coppertop)
The 17th annual CHUM Rhubarb Festival returns this year both in person and online. The week-long celebration takes place from June 20-26. During that week, several local community partners will offer special rhubarb-themed meals and treats, including At Sara’s Table, Sir Benedict’s Tavern, Love Creamery, and more. See the entire list on the CHUM website.
Join us on June 26th at First United Methodist Church, also known as the Coppertop, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for fun, food, and Rhubarbara. Social distancing and all Minnesota Health Department protocols will be observed. The carnival will have activities for the kids, rhubarb treats, and Rhubarb Festival gear for sale.
At 3:00 pm, the CHUM Rhubarb Festival will continue online with a Livestream featuring performances by local musicians, gardening and cooking tips, and a look at how CHUM has adapted to the pandemic. There will also be an online auction starting June 25th and ending the 26th with auction items donated by CHUM Congregations.
Look for rhubarb-themed treats all around Duluth along with Rhubarbara in a Duluth Rhubarbara hunt. The longest leaf and largest stalk contest winners will be announced during the Livestream along with Rhubarb Trivia.
Volunteer
Many volunteers are still needed on the day of the event. You can volunteer in any 2-hour time slot in lots of different ways. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090a4aabae23abf94-rhubarb
CHUM is also looking for help in other ways:
- 10-foot-by-10-foot tents for use on the festival day
- Put up posters to advertise the event
- Donate baskets for the auction
- Invite people to come!
For more information, contact Molly Lyons at (253) 761‑6238 or mylyons@chumduluth.org.
CHUM Food Shelf Update
COVID-19 has changed our entire operation, including our Food Shelf and the way we distribute food, which is now low-contact distribution of pre-packaged 50-pound food boxes for clients to pick up. CHUM has started a new Mobile Food Shelf Program—“CHUM 2 GO”, for low-income people who are homebound, disabled, or unable to access our brick-and-mortar locations, allowing us to serve more people who are facing hunger and food insecurity.
We need your help to make this program operate.
CHUM 2 GO will operate on Tuesdays and Thursdays, on the 2nd and 4th weeks of the month. Deliveries will be made from 9:00 am-11:00 am and 12:00 pm-2:00 pm. We need drivers, box packers, schedulers, and client interviewers. If you want to help or want to learn more, please email chum2go@chumduluth.org.
Organist Update
You may have seen an introduction in last week's email from Pilgrim's new organist, Jessica Schroeder. Jessica will play organ and piano for worship services, as well as accompany the choir, starting later this summer. I'm so looking forward to working with her, and welcoming her to Duluth!
—Patrick Colvin, Director of Music
Pilgrim Women's Book Club
Monday, July 12 | 4:00 pm
The Pilgrim Book Group will meet on July 12 at 4:00 pm. The book will be Colton Whitehead’s The Nickel Boys, the devastating tale of two boys unjustly sentenced to a hellish reform school in Jim Crow–era Florida. The novel is based on the real story of a reform school that operated for 111 years and warped the lives of thousands of children. The book was chosen as the Duluth Library’s City Read for this year.
Ten copies of the book, supplied by the library’s Books in a Bag program, are now available from Patrick in the church office. You can sign out a copy and return it after the meeting. This will probably be a zoom meeting. (Stay tuned for possible changes later this summer.)
All are welcome to participate.
Annual Report
Pilgrim's 2020–21 Annual Report is complete. You can view a digital copy here or take one of the paper copies available in Salter Hall. The Annual Report details what Pilgrim's staff, officers, and committees have done in the past year and what they hope to accomplish in the year ahead. It also contains financial information from the 2019–20 fiscal year.
Pilgrim Annual Meeting
Sunday, June 13 | After worship
Please join us for Pilgrim's Annual Meeting this Sunday. You can attend either in person or via Zoom. The agenda will include discussion of the annual budget, voting on officers and committee members and a brainstorming session on conflict resolution in our church. Following the meeting, we will honor Bob Reichert, Church Treasurer and Mary Sopoci, church business manager who will both be retiring from their positions at the end of June.
In addition to the officers and committee members identified in the mailing last week, Bob Heller has been nominated to serve on the Building & Finance Ministry Committee.
Download the agenda here
Download Conference Minister Rev. Shari Prestemon’s annual report here
Join us on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84031635073?pwd=ZWpzS0lhOC8ySmkvaE15ZS9PWWVUUT09
Meeting ID: 840 3163 5073
Passcode: 053152
Sunday Worship at Pilgrim
Join us Sunday at 10:00 am for Sunday Worship at Pilgrim, in person or online. You can view the service on Pilgrim's YouTube channel and Facebook page.
In honor of the Minnesota Conference's Annual Meeting this week, so that all of our churches can worship as one interconnected Conference, this Sunday's sermon will be given by Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister of the UCC and Co-Executive of Global Ministries, Wider Church Ministries and Operations. The focus scripture for her sermon is Joshua 1:9.
You can download a Bulletin here.
This Sunday's scripture readings:
- Psalm 20
- Mark 4:26-34
If you have an announcement that you would like read during a Sunday service, please get it to the office or directly to Pastor Judith by Monday each week.
Please send in your prayer requests to include in Sunday services. Send your prayer requests, joys, and concerns to Pastor Judith via email by Friday each week to be included. We will use only first names during the service in order to maintain confidentiality, and your prayer requests will be passed along to Marge Fraser and Pilgrim's Prayer Chain.
In case you missed it, you can view last Sunday's worship service on YouTube.
Attendance: 44
YouTube views: 18
Facebook reach: 38
Morning Coffee
Wednesdays | 10:00 am
Join Pastor Judith for your morning coffee! We'll have a time for checking in with each other, prayers, and perhaps a brief meditation. Grab the beverage of your choice and join us on Zoom.
Meeting ID: 497 627 641
Passcode: 926781
Show Us Your Walks
Views from Enger Park
We're lucky to live in a community with so much beauty and access to nature. Send Patrick your photos to share your walks with us in future emails! It's another way to stay connected in these troubled times.
What Patrick's Listening To
Happy Judy Garland's birthday! Here she is singing a favorite of mine: "It Never Was You" by Kurt Weill, sung live on the set of I Could Go on Singing.